The invention relates to boxes adapted to be assembled in a stack and utilized for packing and shipping fruits, vegetables or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to the structure of the stackable box, a number of such boxes being positionable above one another and adjacent to one another.
The known boxes of the foregoing type generally include a frame of four walls formed of non-flowable moldable material which have a square or rectangular shape and may be made of identical or different size. The base is inserted into a lower end of the frame and a cover is placed into an upper end of the frame to close the box.
Such boxes are utilized as one-time used or repeatedly used packing for the shipment of fruits, vegetables or the like. The one-time used boxes are usually destroyed at the station of destination.
The packing boxes should be constructed so, that when distroyed they should not be detrimental for the environment. The boxes must be so constructed that they should properly protect the products to be packed. The structure of the boxes should ensure their stability so that the boxes will not be disintegrated by the influence of moisture absorbed by the material of the box either from their content or from the environment.
The German published application DE-OS No. 1586642 discloses a one-piece box structure including thin walls connected to each other which are produced from a compound containing cellulose chips or fibers pressed with a heat-hardenable binder. The manufacture and use of such boxes has been found considerably expensive.
It has been found that one-piece boxes do not provide the required quality. In the known arrangements when one-piece boxes transported to the field they are in a stacked position and therefore they occupy a relatively large space during the transportation before loading. This causes high transportation costs and is rather inconvenient.